Visual Storytelling with Ed Kashi

Visual Storytelling in the Digital Age

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GOAL

Learn and improve how to build a documentary reportage by covering an editorial story. To refine storytelling and story composition by analyzing real-situation problems, images analysis, editing and captions writing. Most of all, this workshop will help you discover your own visual language as well as practical and conceptual know how to confront real situation reportage making. This workshop will also focus on how to gain a new perspective on one’s works and attitude.

BIOGRAPHY

Ed Kashi is a photojournalist, filmmaker and educator dedicated to documenting the social and political issues that define our times. A sensitive eye and an intimate relationship to his subjects are signatures of his work. As a member of VII Photo Agency, Kashi has been recognized for his complex imagery and its compelling rendering of the human condition.

”I take on issues that stir my passions about the state of humanity and our world, and I deeply believe in the power of still images to change people’s minds. I’m driven by this fact; that the work of photojournalists and documentary photographers can have a positive impact on the world. The access people give to their lives is precious as well as imperative for this important work to get done. Their openness brings with it a tremendous sense of responsibility to tell the truth but to also honor their stories.”

Since 2000 he has pioneered the movement to multimedia and filmmaking in photojournalism, producing the innovative Iraqi Kurdistan Flipbook and award winning short films and multimedia projects on geopolitics and social issues. Kashi’s innovative approach to photography and filmmaking produced the Iraqi Kurdistan Flipbook in 2006, which has been shown in film festivals and museums around the world. An eight-year project completed in 2003, Aging in America: The Years Ahead, has created one of the most extensive visual archives on aging in the United States.

Along with numerous awards from World Press Photo and Pictures of the Year International, UNICEF’s Photo of the Year 2010, a Prix Pictet 2010 Commission and honors from Communication Arts and American Photography, Kashi’s images have been published and exhibited worldwide. He has made seven books, including Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta and THREE. Kashi’s latest book Photojournalisms, is a compilation of journal writings to his wife, done over a nearly 20-year period, from various locations around the world. a nearly 20-year period, from various locations around the world.

“Ed Kashi is intelligent, brave and compassionate. He always understands the nuances of his subjects. He fearlessly goes where few would venture. And he sympathetically captures the soul of each situation. Ed is one of the best of a new breed of photojournalistic artists.” David Griffin, Visuals Editor, The Washington Post

“Anyone serious about learning visual storytelling has already or should be willing to take a workshop with Ed Kashi. He is the ultimate reference for being inspired, learning best practices and evolving into today’s fast changing professional world.

In addition to being a great master in the field of photojournalism, he is a wonderful human being and that this profession is a vocation and way of life for him, to care about others who need help, to help make things change for the better. Those are not words in vain for Ed Kashi.

You only need to have a look at workshop participants testimonies to understand there will be a profound before and after from the workshop. He reaches out to each one’s own sensibility in order to get the most out of them.” Véronique Sutra, Founder & CEO, Eyes in Progress

Program

« [... ] Adults bring more neuroses, habits, and fears, along with their more developed talent and purpose. They are hampered, in a way, by their photographic baggage, their professional dreams, or their desire to emulate or outdo other people’s photographs. For these reasons my adult students are as much in need of guidance as the kids, but in certain ways they also present a greater opportunity for growth. [... ] If I know an adult photo student wants to make photography their profession, then I’ll take a more critical approach to their images as well as their approach, behavior, even dress sometimes (especially with females), and I try to get them to express their intentions so they become clearer and stronger about why they want to do this. [... ] The amateur who just wants to improve their photography requires a different approach. To me it’s important to help them grow while also preserving their love and joy for the craft. We all know people who are wonderful in some art form yet drop it because they lose the joy when they realize they’re “not good enough” to “make it” professionally. In fact, many very talented people just don’t have the stomach to handle the pressures, rejection, and bullshit involved with being a professional in something that is so personal and subjective. » Ed Kashi (from RESOLVE, collaborative online community )

This will be a hands on workshop with shooting sessions, individual assignments, daily group discussion and editing sessions.

You’ll be expected to fully immerse yourself, take risks and push your boundaries in order to move forward into another level in your photography.

Day 1: Masterclass – Projections Ed Kashi will spend time talking about his own work and the different projects he has worked on. He will share his photographic references with the group and discuss the challenges of being a working photographer.

Portfolios reviews and projects definition Each participant will receive and in-depth critique of their work which will also be used as a jumping board for workshop assignments. Participants are highly encouraged to come to the workshop with defined ideas on the subject they want to photograph during the workshop. However, a list of ideas in Berlin will be sent to the participants before the workshop begins, Eyes in Progress is able to help in establishing contacts with local associations and persons.

Day 2: Masterclass – Focus on how to define a story-telling project During this morning session, Ed Kashi will talk about how to define a storytelling project and the importance of the photographers’s point of view. He will give several examples on how to precisely define an angle to a story that is personal to the photographer and consequently will bring value to his story.

Shooting sessions Each participant goes shoot his own project. In case the participant does not have a precise idea on what subject to shoot in Amsterdam, a list of stories will be provided a few weeks ahead the workshop. Help with directions, contacts and translation in Amsterdam will be provided by the workshop team if needed. Participants are encouraged to come back and forth at the studio in order to have feedback on the shooting process and recommendations/advices to improve.

Back at the studio Through the selection and discussion of the best images of the day, the participants will work towards developing their own photographic style and hopefully, see their overall approach improve.

Day 3: Shooting sessions Each participant goes shoot his own project. Help with directions, contacts and translation in Amsterdam will be provided by the workshop team if needed. Participants are encouraged to come back and forth at the studio in order to have feedback on the shooting process and recommendations/advices to improve.

Back at the studio Through the selection and discussion of the best images of the day, the participants will work towards developing their own photographic style and hopefully, see their overall approach improve.

Day 4: Final portfolio editing Each participant will work on a large edit of his images, then they are printed and laid down on a table (10×15 format). The final editing is made during a one-to-one session with Ed Kashi, the other participants are encouraged to attend the sessions of the others. Once the final edit is done, the participants may work on the post-process and are then allowed to make A4 and/or A3 prints of their best images. They are then to write a personal statement on the work, which will be send to the reviewer of their choice.

Previous Workshops

- Only 9 students will be admitted for each session. Students will be granted admission to the workshop based on a review of a selection of 10 of their photographs.

- The 980€ fee does not include transport, accommodation nor on the ground expenses. For participants coming from outside the European Union, please be aware that there is a bank fee when making the payments via bank transfer.

- In order to confirm your application, an advance payment of €100 is advised. Once the application is completed, we will send an email via PayZen to the participant in order to settle the payment. If the candidate is accepted, this amount will be deducted from the overall cost of the workshop.

- In case the participation is not confirmed, he will get a full pay back of the 100€ fee.

- If accepted, the participant will receive a course contract confirming the success of his application by email.

- To confirm registration, the participant must return this contract to us, signed, within ten days, along with payment of 30% of the cost of the workshop.

- The rest of the fee must be paid by the first day of the workshop at the latest. The participant will then receive a receipt.

- A dossier in order to get prepared for the workshop will be sent to the participant at least two weeks before the course begins.

- If you're willing to participate in more than one workshop, we do offer a 10% discount on the following workshops' price.

- Successful candidates will be expected to arrive comfortable with their equipment and ready to photograph.

- Participants working digitally should bring their own laptops, and everything needed for digital editing.

- Participants working on film can use external laboratories services to develop their films but at their own expense and within the given time. Eyes in Progress will provide a list of laboratories and prices and the workshop team will be able, whenever possible, to bring the films to the lab and back once they're developed.

- Participants are required to find their own accommodation in Amsterdam. However Eyes in Progress will provide you with a list of affordable places.

- The portfolios produced by each participant will be published on the site of Eyes in Progress.

- An evaluation committee comprised of professional photo editors, journalists, creative directors and gallery curators will then critique these portfolios. It will be published on the student's page on Eyes in Progress.

- In case the participant does not want a portfolio review after the workshop, the workshop price will be reduced of 70€.

- Video interviews in which the students discuss their work, their motivation as photographers, as well as what they learned during the masterclass will also be posted on the site. In case the participant is not willing to have his video online, we won't publish it, however, we do encourage to record the video anyways as a practical exercise on how to orally express himself as a photographer.

- Social media modules will be available in order to share the page with friends and contacts.

- Each participant will be awarded a certificate of completion of the course.

- The participants will be required to evaluate the course when it has been completed, to show their level of overall satisfaction and the extent of their acquisition of new skills. These evaluations will help us to improve our courses.

- If the participant is not willing to have his profile online (portfolio, review, video), we will of course respect his decision and will not publish it.

> If you apply before August 30th 2017: successful applicants will be informed via email by September 1st, 2017.

> If you apply after August 30 2017: successful applicants will be informed via email by September 29th 2017.

It is possible that the workshop is completed with the first round of applications, in that case, the second round of applications will not be processed.

Applications will be open until September 27th 2017.

- In case the participant comes from far away and needs to make early travel arrangements regarding the workshop's date, we will study his request to review his application ahead of the official deadlines.

- Eyes in Progress reserves the right to cancel groups with less than 7 participants. Students will be given either a full refund or offered a place with an alternative photographer. In the event of a cancellation, students will be given at least 3 weeks advance notice. Eyes in Progress reserves the right to change or alter the program advertised.

- If a participant decides to cancel for whatever reason, this must be confirmed in writing:

. Eyes in Progress will reimburse all the registration costs except for the €100 administrative fee, if the participant informs Eyes in Progress of cancellation at least 3 weeks before the first day of the workshop. Beyond this time limit, Eyes in Progress will charge the following:

. 50% of the cost if cancelled between 6 and 20 days before the workshop commences.

. 100% of the cost if cancelled less than 5 days before the workshop commences.

. All workshops that are commenced but not completed through the fault of the participant need to be paid in full.

- Eyes in Progress is not responsible for reimbursement of travel expenses in case a workshop is cancelled. We recommend that you buy refundable air tickets and/or travel insurance.

About us

Eyes in Progress is a Masterclasses program in Photography. The workshops we provide are exclusively led by distinguished photographers. They are held monthly and are open to professional photographers and advanced amateurs...